If Things were Different
by Lupinrager
Summary: history is never set in stone...this is but one of the many paths that could have been walked


Disclaimer: All Final Fantasy characters © Square soft

Author's comment: Based on some fan art I made…

And the endless possibilities that could happen

And I'm sorry if putting this in first-person view made it a turn-off

Edit: had to change something, messed with the HTML or something.

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Running through endless corridors, bone white and worn down with the passage of time. I knew I had to be there fast, there's no telling what she could do. The chamber finally opened to bright light and a large cavern. I was blinded slowly, taking the time to catch my breath, and to adjust my eyesight to the light. My eyes got used to it quickly; I remember the large cavern, bright light washed in from a large hole in the ceiling. Definitely a worn down kind of place, bone white and ruined, nothing I'd expect less for an ancient city. There was a small pond, set in the chamber, catching the reflection of the light; pillars were erected outside of the pond, the black stone monoliths led to a single platform, where the light flowed to. And on that pillar, bathed in both the light of outside, and the mirrored glares of the water, was her. I couldn't wait for everyone else to come, before I could think I leapt up, scrambling on top of the pillars, it didn't matter if I fell, I just knew I had to get there.

My heart was pounding the nearer I got to her, my breath grew heavy with anticipation. There was a sense of both worry and relief in my heart; I just knew that I had gotten to her in time. Landing on the outer rim of the large platform I could hardly talk, there she was, pretty in pink.

"Aerith…" I whispered, catching my breath from exhaustion and relief.

I slowly made my way towards her, I barely noticed everyone out of the corner of my eye. I made my way towards her slowly, she was quiet, and I knew what she had to do. A million questions raced through my mind, like why she decided to do this on her own, or why she made us worry. I didn't care, she was right here and nothing's happened. All I could think about was everything that had happened, everything that was happening, and everything I was afraid of happening. I knew that the danger hadn't passed, Sephiroth was still going to come here, and I had to be ready.

I don't know what happened exactly. I was just in a daze, I couldn't control my body, and I felt like I was being pulled somewhere. I just knew, staring at her, not realizing what I was doing. Apparently I had pulled the buster sword out, the soft grazing of metal and rock pulled me out of my trance, but it was too late. My body was not mine anymore. My eyes grew wide in horror as I raised the buster blade in front of me, the light shone off its rusted edges. I slowly raised the sword above me.

"No!" I screamed in my head, I tried to pull my body away, but I was rooted to the spot, at best I could only swerve a little bit. I felt the exertion of raising the large blade above my head. I pleaded with myself, trying to stop myself, but the only reply I got was a cold laughter, ringing out throughout my head, sadistic and malicious, it froze my soul and fueled my rage. I could only watch helplessly, as my body raised the blade even higher, the light dancing off it. I could barely hear my friends yelling at me, trying to get my attention. That laughter was deafening, I could only look at them out of the corner of my mind, as if stuck in a pantomime.

My breathing got heavier and my eyes, wild with frustration and fear landed on Aerith again. She was staring straight at me, her green eyes piercing and friendly at the same time. I expected her to be shocked, or scared, but no, she just stared at me and smiled for me. My heart froze at what I did with her smile.

It had happened so fast, and yet time seemed to stop. My buster blade swung down, I knew I was going to kill her, with one last desperate attempt I pulled my sword back before I could get Aerith. A large clang ran out and reverberated throughout the chamber as metal and stone met with colossal power and I managed to pull my sword back. Once it seemed that everything was safe, I let out a breath of exasperation, as I pushed the buster blade forward.

It was sickening, her body jerked like a doll as I ran her through, never had the feeling of ripping through human flesh never felt so disgusting. Her eyes were wild with pain, fear and betrayal, betrayed by me. I could hear the sounds of her blood dripping off my sword on the other side, and an ocean seemed to appear at our feet. Her eyes slowly lost that betrayed look, but kept those looks of shock towards me, dazed and clouding, she held her hands to my face, and I knew why; her hand brushed away a few pearls of tears from my cheeks. Her expression was pained as my tears ran down her palm, then slowly a small smile formed on her lips.

"This is what was meant to be…" I could see her mouth out to me, before my visions clouded with my tears.

Then her body jerked one last time, before her limbs fell limp at her side, her head thrown back, her eyes clouded over. I managed to pull the blade out of her mangled body and collapsed as her body slipped of the now dyed red sword. I couldn't move, but I dropped the blade and a clang rang out. I was on my hands and knees, my hands stained with her blood. My vision was gone, hidden behind a veil of tears, tears…something I haven't shed in years, until today. I could hear the clatter as my friends ran up the pillars, I knew they would accuse me of murder, and I was willing to accept the charges. But then, that cold laughter again rang out, before it sounded as if its master was satisfied, as his puppet danced for him. Now it was a piercing maniacal scream of madness and pleasure, I knew I did his work for him, all because I was weak. Weak, I was always weak…but this was new motivation, my comrades will leave me because I murdered, but that will only fuel my drive, my drive for revenge.

"Sephiroth…Sephiroth…"I whispered over and over again, my lips forming a maniacal smile until that whisper escalated into laughter and screaming. This was my challenge to you Sephiroth, and my only chance at redemption…


End file.
